primary resistance at a critical low
by Kolbie Ru-Ru
Summary: Haizaki is banished to the human world for misdeeds, and Ryouta is his stupidly attractive new roommate. Only one of them is even remotely happy about this. [Demon!Haizaki, AU, HaiKise, shameless fluff] Chapters Posted: 2/4
1. 01

**Notes: God, this is so self-indulgent. Like ridiculously so. Even more than my usual stuff. But the HaiKise feels are real and _demanding_ , and I've been toying with this idea for a while. Honestly, I just wanted a Haizaki with cat ears and a tail to interact with Kise in a domestic setting, and about 2k of exposition got me there.  
**

 **The title comes from a line in "The Walk" by Imogen Heap.**

 **Warnings: Haizaki's mouth - so vulgar language, lots of made up facts about demons and absolutely none of it is researched, minimal angst, fluff for days, and perhaps most importantly, eventual Kise/Haizaki**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket.**

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 **01.**

Fuck. Fucking humans. Shougo hisses in pain when a dumbass with clumsy feet steps on his tail. Said dumb fuck spots him, realizes what he's done, and reaches down to pet Shougo with an apologetic smile.

He waits just long enough for the human's hand to be within reach, and then he swipes it with his claws, feeling a vindictive satisfaction in the long scratch and drops of blood it elicits.

As the human yelps in surprise, Shougo books it, not sticking around to see if this human is the type to lash out or stubbornly keep trying to pet him. He wants fuck all to do with either.

Honestly, he wants fuck all to do with this realm in general. But it's not like he can go back home. He scowls as he thinks about it - or tries to, as much as his animal form can manage the expression - and takes shelter in a box that's been tipped on its side in an alleyway just as it starts to rain.

Demons are known in the human realm as innately evil creatures who deal in souls and wreak death and destruction wherever they can. And well, they're not completely wrong. A century or two back, that was how things were done, and that's the generation Shougo's father had been raised in.

Then came Demon's Rights organizations and reforms and shifts in government heads and policies, and with his scary ass mother leading the charge, it's no wonder everything demons had built over millennia had crumbled within a decade.

Now, demons are much more civilized, and the soul trade is so dull and boring that it might as well be the demon equivalent of the DMV. Everything is done on the books, and humans who want to make deals have to read and sign a huge stack of papers and documents that make up the Soul Contract. The deals happen instantly, but the wait for souls to enter their realm as documents are retrieved and visas are given out is slow and agonizing. Souls are backed up, and the line stretches into oblivion.

Minor deals that don't involve human souls are just as menial and mundane, and wanton destruction and mischief is no longer rewarded. It just means more paperwork and fucking awful therapy sessions disguised as evaluations.

'Why do you feel the need to cause havoc?' 'Are things alright at home?' 'And how does that make you feel?' All standard questions, and it's enough to make any lesser demon rip out their own innards rather than travel over to the human realm. It's just not worth it, which is exactly what the horrific process was meant to make them think.

So what exactly is Haizaki Shougo, high demon and someone who doesn't hate himself, doing in the human realm? The answer is pretty fucking stupid, and fuck, he should have known better. Hell, he did know better, but...

One of his buddies had found a crack in between the realms, one that the maintenance demons hadn't yet found and repaired, and without stopping to think about the repercussions, they'd both wandered into the human realm and began pranking any humans they came across. Making them trip over thin air, making them drop their food - stupid, harmless shit, but as they were returning through the crack, they were caught.

His mom had been pissed, which is probably the nicest way of putting it. He's the youngest son of the revolutionary head of defence, and he was supposed to set a better example for the younger demons who look up to him. The lecture encompassed that mostly, among other things.

Anyway, so his punishment is banishment to the human realm until he learns responsibility. Or something. He stopped paying attention about halfway through, and by his mother's smug face the last time he saw her, he's sure she's aware of it.

Now he's stuck here with no idea what to do and no way to contact his mother or his older brother to ask. This fucking sucks. He lies down and curls into himself, ready to sleep away this nightmare of a day.

-o-

He comes to consciousness quickly, hackles raised and all senses alert, only to realize he's being manhandled by some punk ass human. And fucking swell, he's got punk ass friends.

Shougo hisses, struggling in the too tight grip, and it's obvious the young humans are inebriated. They're swaying, off-balance, and every word is slurred and almost incomprehensible - and they would be to him were Shougo's hearing not leagues better than the average human's.

Even so, it's no help to him since he can't communicate anything in this form. A real damn shame that he can't just transform into his demon self, but that's taboo even for Higher Demons and a greater offense than Shougo's harmless pranks. He likes his head firmly attached to his body, thanks. Even if he would like to tear these humans a new one.

He settles for sinking his claws into the human's hand, and shit, maybe not his best idea. The fucker yells, drops him, and before Shougo can dart away, he fucking kicks him. With a yowl, Shougo crashes into the nearby wall and then falls about a foot to the dirty, wet ground. Fuck, he hurt something. And was that a 'crack' he heard? Not good.

The fuckers laugh uproariously, and then thankfully, they stumble off somewhere else. He hopes they wander out into traffic, the dicks.

With a wince, Shougo forces himself to his feet, and then when nothing sends him right back to his side, he limps out of the alley, aimlessly walking (in the opposite direction of the drunk assholes) and trying to put distance between him and that alley in case they come back or anyone is stupid enough to investigate the sounds.

This would be a good time for a healing spell, he can't help but think sarcastically. Too bad Shougo never had an affinity for them, always too violent and explosive just like his magic.

Shougo's abilities are mostly offensive with a few defensive spells, and he prides himself in his ability to steal other demons' spells. They usually don't appreciate it, but they're just poor sports. Of course, there's also the trickery that runs in the very blood of every demon, the innate stealth, humor, and creativity that makes them demons, and any higher demon can transform into an animal given enough practice and control.

That being said, even with Shougo's impressive arsenal of magic and spells, there isn't one that would ease the pain in his leg or heal whatever must be bruised or broken in his side. Maybe it was a mistake to turn down Shion's offers to teach him. His brother is many things, most of them awful, but bad at healing spells is not one of them.

Then again, Shougo would rather endure this temporary pain than have to live with Shion's smugness at his little brother coming to him for help for the rest of his life. And as a demon, that's quite a long time indeed.

-o-

He doesn't know how long he limps or how far he manages to get before he collapses because after a while, his legs give out and his eyes slide shut as his brain drags him down into unconsciousness. He doesn't know how long he's out either.

The next thing he knows, he's bundled up in something soft and warm for the first time since his ass was dumped in this realm, and for a few moments, he doesn't want to figure out the why's or how's. Because that would mean he has to open his eyes, take in his current situation, and - more importantly - move out of this comfy warmth. And he really, really doesn't want to do that. Doesn't he deserve a win today? A rest?

But inevitably, he finds himself thinking about it, and so he realizes - one, he's no longer outside, two, he's in someone's house, cozy in their blanket, and three, that same person likely wrapped bandages around Shougo's midsection and right foremost leg. Shit.

He crawls out of the cocoon of a cover and glances around, suspicious and ready to bolt. Looks like he's in a bedroom - no shit, there's a bed - and the owner or owners have left him alone for now. He doesn't see any immediate exits other than the door, and it's fucking closed, of course. There's the window, but it's closed too and probably locked.

He scowls and then sits down and tries to survey the damage he's taken and what the human has done to help. It's not too bad, fortunately. Nothing feels broken. Likely he bruised his ribs and twisted his wrist. Nothing he can't handle and certainly not the worst injuries he's ever gotten. Being a high demon with a smart mouth equals lots of other demons who want to knock his lights out, some of them permanently.

He feels a ghost of a smirk, and then to his horror, he notices something secured around his neck. Something like a damn collar. Fucking-! He tries to wiggle out of it or pull it off or break it, but that accomplishes jack shit.

Pissed and more than a little shaken, he gets reckless. He doesn't hear the human coming closer, so he risks transforming. He can't use magic as a damn cat, and any normal, human collar will break during the process. Unless of course- But he's not thinking about that because what are the fucking chances?

The transformation is quick, and a familiar rush of energy thrums through him as his magic properly reasserts itself in his core. He's naked - because clothes just fall off when he turns; no one's found a way to factor them into the transformation that isn't ridiculously complex and time-consuming - all but for the collar still firmly attached to his neck, and now? Now he starts to panic.

There are very few items in this world that can trap or bind a demon - much less a high demon - and even fewer that haven't already been locked away in a vault in the demon realm or been destroyed for their dangerous potential. This collar is one of those items, and honestly, how the fuck did something like this end up in the human world? More to the point, how in the seven hells did it end up around Shougo's neck without him noticing?!

Fruitlessly, he tries again to do anything he can to remove it, including some destructive spells, but it gets him fucking nowhere. After a solid fifteen minutes of useless struggling, he gives up. Rubbing his face with his hand, he steps back from the situation and just- thinks.

He's never been very good at that, always one to act and react with little thought to either. He's a fighter, born and bred, and he lives and breathes combat. He lets his family do all the strategic thinking, allows them to make decisions, to point him somewhere and unleash his destruction on their enemies.

There's still the old faction, after all. Demons who still believe in the old ways and don't particularly care for this new civilized structure and relative peace. Shougo's father is among them, but he's never personally come to blows with the old bastard.

They send out troops in both realms, trying to tear down everything Shougo's mother built and return things back to the way they were. Bunch of wrinkly, old pricks. They're just pissed they were booted off their thrones and stripped of all their power. The demon realm has fucking prospered under his mother's reign, and Shougo gladly whoops the asses of any dumbfucks who try to screw that up. He takes a vindictive pleasure in foiling their plans and sending them running with their tails between their legs.

...Maybe too much pleasure. He's starting to remember what his mother said. Something about teaching Shougo humility and compassion? He scoffs, pinching his nose. There was something about being too arrogant and dismissive of humans in there too. The pieces start adding up.

What are the chances that the same day Shougo's sorry ass is banished to this realm an incredibly rare demon artifact finds its way into a human's hands and subsequently around his neck? Pretty fucking high when smug mothers who want to teach their sons valuable life lessons are involved. Ugh. He groans, panic subsiding and making way for anger and a good amount of disbelief.

This fucking sucks. But whatever. He knows what game she's playing now, and he fucking refuses to let it turn out the way she expects it to.

-o-

He searches through the human's room for clothes to wear and settles on some black boxers and an impossibly soft white hoodie. Both items fit him well enough, and they smell amazing. Like lavender.

A few things of note: this human has style and money. Looks like high-end fashion, not that Shougo would know for sure. He doesn't spend much time on this side, and when he does, it's not for leisure.

Speaking of, does this count as some sort of vacation? He hasn't had one since he graduated from the academy and started his full time job as demon hunter. (It's an amusing title, no matter that it makes his mom roll her eyes. At least Shion appreciates his humor.)

Anyway, another thing is that he - and it's surely a male; Shougo's nose is never wrong - lives alone. And this is not a house so much as a big, expensive apartment. He could tell that much from leaning precariously out of the window. They're probably about ten or twelve floors up. He didn't bother to count.

The view is alright. It just highlights the dirty, pollution filled city Shougo had been stumbling around in hours earlier.

Oh yeah, he also knows that it's been at least five or six hours since he fell asleep. It was early morning then, and now it's midday. He must have been really tired, especially since he was fucking treated and collared without so much as a stir. He shoves down the rush of irritation with practiced ease and stares at the door, arms and legs crossed, patiently waiting for the human to walk in.

Probably important to note that said human is currently home. By the smell and sound of it, he's making coffee in the kitchen. Only a matter of time before he heads to his bedroom, right?

Shougo smiles a little with anticipation of the human's reaction. Shock or awe. Maybe fear, which is less fun but understandable. Hopefully not rage or anything similar. Shougo needs him agreeable for this shaky plan to pan out. Anything else would be... Well, he'll destroy that bridge when he comes to it.

-o-

Upon spotting Shougo, the human yelps, almost dropping his mug and barely able to stay standing. He stares wildly at Shougo, completely and utterly shocked at finding a man in his room when he expected to find a stray cat.

"Who- what are you?" The human demands, skittish and taking in Shougo's appearance with wide eyes. Cat ears and a fluffy tail swishing idly behind him should clue this human in to the fact that Shougo is far from normal.

Blinking, Shougo tilts his head to the side, considering the ridiculously pretty human before him. His blond hair feathers around his face flatteringly, his gold eyes are bright and intelligent, and it can't be said enough but - this human is stupidly attractive.

But Shougo doesn't have time to ogle him, and he has a very strict personal rule about not engaging humans up close. It usually doesn't end well, and like almost everything involving the human realm, it would require paperwork. His tail flicks to the side in annoyance at the thought.

"Haizaki Shougo, at your service," he says, smiling wryly. Names hold power, but considering Shougo is already at this human's mercy, it hardly matters.

Visibly calming down but still wary, the human clutches his steaming mug and asks, bewildered, "Are you that cat I saved earlier?" His voice is smooth and enticing, and Shougo bites down the inappropriate thoughts that surge up at the observation.

"Yeah," he answers easily enough, and the human continues to stare at him. Well, at least he's not screaming in terror or trying to attack him - both things that have happened before. Might as well play nice since things are going his way so far. "I'm actually a demon," he reveals.

"I want to say that's hard to believe, but you've got the, you know, ears and tail. Plus, I think I'd notice if some crazy guy broke into my apartment in the ten minutes I've been in the kitchen, and the cat's gone," he says, apparently convincing himself of Shougo's legitimacy. He leans heavily against the door frame, like he needs it to hold him up. "Um, why is there a demon perched seductively on my bed?" He asks. "And hey, are you wearing my clothes?"

Seductively? Shougo glances down at himself in confusion, decides the human is being facetious, and returns his sharp gaze on him. "Would you rather I was naked?" He asks dryly.

For a long moment, it looks like the human is going to say _yes_ , and despite himself, Shougo feels his face flush in embarrassment. "Fuck it, never mind. Get your damn head out of the gutter, human."

"Sorry, sorry," the man apologizes, not sounding like he means it at all. He grins, somehow seeming more comfortable in Shougo's presence. "So you never answered my question," he points out, slyly. "Oh! Could it be that you're my reward for being a good Samaritan?"

"What? No," Shougo huffs a laugh, entertained at the mere thought. A demon showing up at a human's house is usually seen as a bad omen. "Although, I can reward you with anything in my power - so long as you do something for me."

The human perks up, "Oh? What is that?" He takes a sip of his coffee, way, way too calm. Does he know nothing about deals with demons?

Sure, they're not exactly common knowledge anymore, but they show up often enough in modern media and rarely in a good light. But whatever, this human's ignorance is working in his favor, so he shouldn't complain.

He smirks, pulling down the neck of his hoodie. "I just need you to remove this collar, and I'll make one wish of yours come true." He'll keep this one off the books. No need to let his mom know just how he got out of her ridiculous punishment.

The human grows thoughtful at that, eyes narrowing even as his smile remains firmly in place. "Hmm, so does that mean you can't take it off yourself?" He surmises, and Shougo doesn't like the look on his face.

Scowling, he asks sarcastically, "Why else would I ask you to do it, human?"

"Kise Ryouta," he corrects, setting his mug down and walking closer to Shougo. "You can call me Ryouta," he offers, stopping just in front of Shougo.

He scoffs. "Giving out your name to a demon? How stupid." He leans back, irritated at having to crane his neck upwards to meet those twinkling eyes.

Ryouta laughs, "I've been called gullible before, but you seem like an alright guy to me, demon or not."

Shougo glances away, uncomfortable with the sincere praise. This human doesn't even know him. "Whatever. Just get it off already," he grunts impatiently.

The human laughs again, and it's a nice sound. "Okay, okay."

He brings his hands up to the damn collar and fiddles with the clasp, but by the spark of confusion on Ryouta's face and the weight still around his neck, it's obvious the fucking thing isn't coming off so easily.

A few moments later, Ryouta admits defeat. "Sorry, it won't budge," he says apologetically, and Shougo can't detect any deceit.

 _Ugh_. It'd be so much easier if the human was lying. Then all it would take is intimidation or bribery. But if it's really not coming off, then that's because the contract is more complex than he'd initially anticipated.

"It's fine," he says, grimacing. He'll just- figure something out. He then realizes Ryouta is still hovering entirely too close, staring with interest at the top of Shougo's head. "What," he grunts.

Ryouta gives him an innocent look. "I was just admiring your, uh, cat ears. May I...?" He asks, gesturing towards them.

Said ears twitch and then lower in displeasure. Why are humans always so fucking entranced by his feline-like features? They're just extra appendages. Back home, you can't go five feet without tripping over a demon with extra animal-like characteristics.

Rolling his eyes, Shougo says, flatly, "Fine. But don't yank them, or I'll gut you."

He doesn't usually allow humans to touch him, but these circumstances are far from normal. He needs this human amenable if he wants to get through this ordeal without any troubles. And he's getting a sinking feeling he's going to be stuck with him longer than a few hours.

Beaming, Ryouta reaches out a careful hand and brushes his fingers lightly over the left ear. It jerks away, completely out of Shougo's control, and Ryouta tries again, caressing the fluffy fur.

"They're so cool," Ryouta tells him breathlessly.

Shougo's neck grows hot, and his tail stands tall behind him, showcasing his pleasure. "Shut up," he grumbles. They're just _ears_.

Feeling bolder, Ryouta uses both hands to stroke Shougo's ears, and despite himself, his eyes droop closed. It takes him a while to realize he's letting out a deep, rumbling sound of content, lulled into it by clever fingers.

Mortified, he glances up and catches Ryouta watching him with a satisfied smile. He growls, slapping the human's hands away and glaring. "Fuck off."

"Sorry," he says, and Shougo wants to fucking deck him.

-o-

In consolation, Ryouta offers him coffee, and Shougo gladly accepts but doesn't give the perverted bastard the satisfaction of knowing he's even slightly sated.

He grudgingly follows him to the kitchen, thereby passing through a small hallway and the living room, confirming Shougo's theory that this is a swanky, expensive apartment. It's not exactly massive, but it's bigger than most humans at this age would be able to afford.

Ryouta begins making him a cup, and Shougo takes a seat at the bar, leaning forward on his elbows and watching the human work. "Lots of creamer and sugar," he says when Ryouta turns around to ask.

Ryouta smiles, amused. "I kind of expected you to drink it black," he admits at Shougo's questioning brow.

Shougo snorts, propping his head up in his hand. "What, like all badasses drink black coffee and ride motorcycles? Just because I like things that don't taste like shit doesn't mean I can't kick ass."

"Is that what you do? Kick ass?" Ryouta asks, setting down both their mugs on the counter and then sitting on a stool across from Shougo.

"Basically," Shougo says, and then he takes a long sip of his drink. It's good, and it soothes the chill that had settled in his bones after sleeping in that alley. "I track down rogue demons - criminals - and bring them back to be tried in the courts. They usually don't come back willingly," he explains further, compelled by the genuine interest on Ryouta's face.

"So you're a demon police officer?" He asks.

Shougo shrugs. "Guess you could say that. I prefer demon hunter, though."

Ryouta laughs. Again. How can any one person laugh so much? "Well, what brought you to my apartment, demon hunter?" He asks, coyly. "Or well, the sidewalk where I found you?"

Reminded of the utter failure of last night, Shougo scowls, gulping down the rest of his coffee before snapping, "None of your damn business."

He can't get too cozy here. He has to get this shitty collar off, and he can't waste time getting friendly with a random human. Even if that human is stupidly pretty. And interested in him. He's seen Ryouta glancing repeatedly at his bare legs, and almost every word out of his mouth is flirtatious.

But - Shougo doesn't plan on sticking around in this realm any longer than he has to, and he isn't one to start things he can't finish. Plus, well- he's a _human._

So he ignores Ryouta's shock, and with some concentration, he calls forth the contract sealing his fate from a pocket dimension. It surges forth in a blast of light and floats serenely down. He snatches it out of the air, surprised at its small size, and begins reading.

"Fuck," he groans - with feeling. This contract makes Shougo a glorified fucking pet.

He has to either stay in Ryouta's apartment or be within fifteen feet of him at all times if he wants to leave. He can't harm him either, which he wouldn't normally do but might have done to get out of this. It runs out six months from now, but it says it might expire earlier if certain conditions are met. Of fucking course the conditions aren't spelled out for him. Only a dumbass would sign such a dubious contract, but once Ryouta put the damn collar on Shougo, it was as good as agreement on both sides.

There's a reason these artifacts have been banned. They give too much power to one party, and the other side rarely consents to its use.

Ugh. He knows just what his mother's up to. She's not just trapping him here. She's forcing him to stay close to a human, so he doesn't spend his exile hiding away and consorting with only demon kind. How far will she go to teach him this stupid fucking lesson? He'd rather take six months of therapy over this.

He burns the damning paper to a crisp and sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. Fucking great.

"Uh... So I guess that didn't go over well," Ryouta pipes up, nervously.

Shougo glances at his through the gaps between his fingers. "No," he says, sighing again. The hand moves up towards his bangs and runs through his hair. "Looks like you're stuck with me," he tells him bluntly, in no mood to sugar coat it, especially when it affects him too. "Because of this fucking thing," he gestures at the collar, "I have to stay within fifteen feet of you at all times. Unless I'm in your apartment."

"Oh," Ryouta says, and it takes a few weeks before Shougo realizes the glimmer in his eyes at the time means he's inordinately pleased.

Regardless, this... is how Haizaki Shougo begins living with Kise Ryouta. It's pretty much bound to end in disaster.

* * *

 **End Notes: This is so _shamelessly self-indulgent._ No need to pretend there's any substance in this rambling mess. Even as a demon, Haizaki's still a dork, and Kise's really not any better. Also! The reason he was walking around as a defenseless kitty cat will be explained!  
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 **If any of you are interested in this - or have ideas/suggestions for me! - then please let me know. Also, feel free to point out mistakes or contradictions; making up all the demon stuff while writing probably wasn't good for continuity. This will probably end up being three or four chapters, and I'll update whenever I cobble together another chapter.**


	2. 02

**Notes: Why did you guys encourage me? The pining! _My god,_ _the pining._ Kise is literally the guy who passes a stranger twice on the street and asks, "What are we?" alkfjlsdjfodjf**

 **Please enjoy. ;)**

 **There is a time skip! Haizaki's point of view continues right from chapter one, but Kise's point of view takes place after a few weeks.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket.**

* * *

 **02.**

"I have class in like an hour, so I need to start getting ready," Ryouta tells him, rinsing out his cup and leaving it in the sink. "Are you gonna be alright here by yourself?"

Shougo rolls his eyes. "I think I can manage not to grievously injure myself while you're not hovering over me." He's a fucking demon, for god's sake.

Snorting, Ryouta shoots back, "I could do without the sarcasm, but I'm starting to realize that's just how you communicate."

"What can I say? I'm a damn delight," Shougo snarks, smirking around the lip of his mug.

Laughing, Ryouta retreats to his bathroom, presumably to shower. Shougo's proven correct when he picks up the tell tell sound of running water.

Dismissing the imagery that provokes, Shougo takes it upon himself to make breakfast. He hasn't eaten since yesterday, and he's willing to bet it's the same for his new... roommate. His ears flatten against his head, and his tail swishes behind him irritably.

Ugh. Whatever! He's just going to take this one day at a time. In the mean time, he'll work on finding loopholes in his contract - besides the vague and unhelpful conditions that were mentioned. Demons are all of them slippery and innately good at picking up on shaky wording and flexible phrases. Even demon contracts aren't infallible.

For now, though, he's starving, and Ryouta's got jack shit in his fridge and cabinets. Shitty, useless human. Can't even fucking eat properly.

"Can I get groceries?" He yells loud enough that Ryouta will hear him, and fuck any neighbors who might be annoyed.

Right now, his magic is tied to Ryouta, so that means he needs permission to use it. Normally, this sort of admittedly lazy, careless use would require - you guessed it! - a contract since he's in the human realm, but he's bound to a human through a contract already, which gives him free reign so long as Ryouta's cool with it. An irritating limitation but still better than if he'd been here on his own. His mom really has thought of everything.

There's a pause, probably of surprise, and then: "Sure!" is Ryouta's chirpy reply.

Satisfied, Shougo snaps his fingers, and instantly, the kitchen is stocked with food and drinks - most of them Shougo's favorites, but there's enough generic items too, all from his own home back in the other realm. Another snap, and an apron appears over his borrowed clothes with the words _'don't fucking touch the cook'_ in bright red across the front.

He smiles and then begins pulling out pots and ingredients. He's not the best cook out there, but he's not shit either - whatever his brother might say.

-o-

His tail sways happily as he glances around at his handiwork. It didn't take that long, and he thinks everything turned out alright.

Laid out on the counter is Miso soup and chicken, along with another cup of coffee for Shougo and some orange juice for Ryouta.

He's just finished placing the drinks when Ryouta steps out of the bathroom in nothing but a small towel. "Whoa, did you make breakfast, Haizakiichi?" He asks, water dripping down his mostly naked body almost obscenely.

Shougo gives him his best unimpressed look. "What are you doing," he grunts.

Ryouta pouts, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "I was hoping for a better reaction than that. You're so cute when you're flustered."

Heat rushes to his face entirely against his will, and his patience snaps with an audible crack. "Shut the fuck up, asshole!" He snarls, and fucking god, his voice is higher pitched than he'd meant it to be. "Demons aren't- They're not fucking cute, you damn human."

"Oh? But you're a demon, and you're cute," Ryouta counters, smiling teasingly.

Shougo growls, "I'm gonna fucking strangle you, fucker."

And he means to do it, really. But the collar gives a warning buzz, and he remembers that he actually can't harm this human. Even if the fucker deserves it.

"...Go get dressed already, asshat," he orders lamely, gritting his teeth.

Perhaps sensing Shougo's increasingly violent thoughts and lack of restraint, Ryouta goes with minimal teasing.

Belatedly, Shougo calls after him, pissed, "And don't call me that, fucker!"

Ryouta laughs.

-o-

Breakfast is a quick, mostly quiet affair. Mostly because Shougo shuts down any and all attempts at conversation, and Ryouta has to eat fast or risk leaving late.

"I'll see you in a few hours, Haizakiichi~!" Ryouta chirps from the front door, wrapped up in a stylish coat and scarf and shouldering a bag with school supplies.

Shougo waves half-heartedly from the kitchen where he's cleaning up. "Yeah, yeah. Just fucking leave already."

Smiling, Ryouta says, "It's nice to have such a pretty husband to come home to~!" Then he steps outside, swiftly closing and locking the door behind him, and the ladle Shougo had thrown crashes to the floor, spraying bits of soup.

Shougo lets out a wordless yell in frustration. Damn annoying human.

-o-

This realm is boring as shit. There's not even anything good on TV, which is often true in either realm but still damn annoying.

With nothing to do, he spends some of his time reading and rereading the contract and the rest of it unashamedly poking through Ryouta's things.

If he hadn't wanted Shougo to snoop through his stuff, he should have fucking said so. Or left him something interesting to do.

Fucking sucks that he can't leave this shitty apartment. He couldn't even stick his hand out through the door. There was an invisible barrier, which is obviously what's keeping him here.

Next time he's going with the human. Even if it is to some shitty human school. He'll go crazy if he has to stay cooped up in here any longer than this.

-o-

 _Oh god_. Ryouta gulps. _Why do you test me_ , he thinks, taking in the sight that greets him as soon as he steps inside his apartment.

Haizaki is clad in a tight tank top and loose sweatpants, stretched out on his side on Ryouta's couch and looking more like the cover of a dirty magazine than a roommate simply channel-flipping.

He scratches his stomach, lifting his shirt up and revealing his mouth-watering abs in the process, and crap, Ryouta needs to stop gaping before Haizaki calls him out on it or he says something stupid.

Instead, he very firmly closes his mouth, fills his head with images of boring things like the bills he has to pay and the essay he has to write, and toes off his shoes before walking into the kitchen.

"Welcome home," Haizaki says, distracted.

"I'm back." Ryouta peeks over and sees that the demon is puzzling over a reality TV show and laughs. "You're gonna rot your brain watching that."

Haizaki scoffs. "There's no way this human show can harm me - except maybe to bore me to death. There's nothing interesting to watch!"

Smiling, Ryouta returns to his task, readying the coffee pot for another late night. "Do they have TV in the demon realm?"

"Yeah, and it's just as bad." The voice this time is much closer. Ryouta turns and finds Haizaki shuffling into view. "There's this fighting show - Blood and Guts, I think. It's pretty good."

The demon says more, but it's all lost on Ryouta, who was distracted by Haizaki as soon as he saw him.

The sweatpants are a little big for him, and they're just about the only pants Ryouta owns that aren't at least a little tight when on Haizaki's bulkier, more muscular frame. Hence the tank top clinging to his torso almost obscenely.

But the baggy pants are hanging dangerously low, revealing what the shirt doesn't cover, showcasing his razor sharp hips and the flat, toned skin beneath his belly button. Ryouta wants to lick it.

He tears his eyes away.

"Why am I not surprised that's a show you'd enjoy?" He asks, frazzled but doing his best to hide it behind his teasing.

It's a state he finds himself in quite often now that he's living with a demon. A demon who happens to be charming and cute and funny and hot - and where was he going with this again?

Haizaki rolls his eyes, so ridiculously adorable with his fluffy hair and the cat ears that twitch in tune with his annoyance. "Whatever. I'm sure you're some romantic sap. Bet you watch rom-coms." He scoffs and starts looking through some cabinets. "Where's the nutella?"

"The other cabinet. On the top shelf," Ryouta tells him with a grin. He'd discovered Haizaki's not-so-secret obsession with chocolate not long into their acquaintance, and like most things involving his new roommate, Ryouta is utterly amused by it. "There's nothing wrong with romantic comedies," he adds, idly.

Haizaki snorts but doesn't comment. It's probably a good thing because Ryouta loses touch with reality the moment Haizaki turns around and reaches up to the topmost shelf - thus, revealing his back to Ryouta.

And honestly, it's not fair that it could be so attractive! Even so, his eyes are glued to Haizaki's shoulder blades, the long line of his back, yet more delicious skin revealed when he stretches and his shirt rides up.

He barely manages to suppress a strangled noise when the sweatpants drop even lower.

He's going to die. Haizaki is going to kill him by being too pretty. Maybe this is his own personal torture, some bad karma come to take its due, and Haizaki is the tormentor, using his body as a weapon. Ryouta is about ninety-five percent sure Haizaki's doing it unintentionally, which might be even worse.

"So how does Demon culture differ from ours?!" He blurts out quickly, grabbing the first thing that comes to mind and going with it. He's supposed to do reading on various cultures tonight, but now that he's accidentally broached the topic, he does want to know. "I'm just curious," he says defensively when Haizaki turns back around, jar in tow and looking thoroughly unimpressed.

Shrugging languidly (and drawing Ryouta's eyes to his bare shoulders again), Haizaki hops up to sit on the counter, legs dangling over the side. "It's not like I know much about humans, you know? I wasn't even allowed to be here, which is why I got in trouble." He opens the nutella, nabs a spoon from the drawer to his right, and scoops out a big glob of the chocolate spread. "There's a whole unit at the academy for stuff about humans, but I didn't need to take it since I was on the military track, and all we needed to know was how to fight."

He sticks the whole spoonful in his mouth, and Ryouta smiles helplessly at the pure delight in the demon's expression, especially when his ears flatten in pleasure. "Just how to fight? You didn't learn diplomacy or-"

Waving his licked-clean utensil dismissively, Haizaki clarifies, "Yeah, a little, but I'm part of an elite group. By the time they have to send me out, talking's not an option anymore. We're the last resort."

"So you're like secret agents or something? Do you have code names? Ooh! Do you wear special, modified suits?" Ryouta would keep going, amazed by the idea, but the image of Haizaki in a crisp, cool suit has derailed him quite spectacularly.

He's broken out of his daze by laughter. A little awed, he watches Haizaki throw his head back with a large grin, and it's so, so endearing that he laughs with his whole body.

"You're a weirdo, you know that?" Haizaki eventually tells him with a smirk. At Ryouta's sheepish smile, the demon goes on, "It's really not that organized. There're no code names or a dress code or anything. We just have a tattoo imbued with our leader's magic, and it works as identification and a way to locate us. Other than that, we're just a bunch of violence-loving demons fighting over who gets the next job."

Tattoos? Agh. Ryouta bites his lip, chagrined.

Before he can do something monumentally stupid - like asking to see it, the pot beeps, and mechanically, he sets about making a cup of coffee in his favorite large mug, a gift from Kurokocchi.

The then teen had thought it hilarious to encourage Ryouta's bad habit, especially when it incurred a lecture from Midorimacchi every time he'd caught Ryouta with it.

He smiles at the thought, and it reminds him...

He hasn't told anyone about his new roommate yet. He's not really sure how to make _'I have a demon living with me. Oh yeah, and we're magically bound together because of this collar I put on him when I thought he was a stray cat. But don't worry, he's not mad at me!'_ sound good even on the off chance someone believes him.

Honestly, he'd probably have been skeptical too, but he'd seen Haizaki's ears and tail firsthand, not to mention the few instances of magic the demon has performed right in front of him.

Making a contract appear out of thin air? Tossing a fireball idly between his hands? Reheating his coffee whenever it naturally cools down with scarcely a breath? It's enough to curb his disbelief.

He'd moved quickly to acceptance, especially once it was clear Haizaki had no intention of harming him. Weirdly enough, it really just feels like Ryouta's gained a new roommate. Maybe from a foreign country. Who also happens to be really into cats.

Ryouta actually likes Haizaki too, which is a plus. And well, the fact that Haizaki's super good-looking doesn't hurt. Not anything but his self-control, anyway.

"I guess courting is different?" Haizaki muses from behind him. He's twirling the spoon in one hand and propping his head up on the other. "And I've yet to see any more than two humans in a 'healthy' romantic relationship on the television. Demons can have multiple partners, and it's rarely ever so destructive and secretive - as it apparently is for humans. We accept all kinds of love." He quirks a brow, smiling sardonically. "It's hilarious that demons are more open-minded than innocent, baby humans."

Ryouta sort of feels offended on behalf of the human race, but Haizaki starts speaking again before the offense even fully forms.

"'Course most high demons think lower demons are dirt beneath their feet, and lower demons think we're all entitled little shits, and we're all pretty prone to the darker emotions - lust, envy, rage. Guess none of us are perfect either way." He shrugs and shoves another spoonful in his mouth. His tail swishes idly behind him. "Magic's cool, though."

He laughs. "It definitely is."

-o-

It's way too early for this.

Ryouta is hardly awake enough to do much of anything beyond go through his morning routine mechanically. There's just no room for processing the sight of his roommate in an oversized T-shirt and presumably boxers - presumably because all Ryouta can see is the too big shirt and a whole lot of leg. Like, probably an indecent amount of leg!

It's too damn early for this!

"...What are you doing?" Ryouta scrambles up some brain cells to ask. He's got no idea why Haizaki is blocking the door, nor why he chose to do so without any pants on, and Haizaki is starting to look a little irritated at his silence, tail swishing tellingly behind him.

He crosses his arms and raises his chin, daring Ryouta to defy him as he demands, "Take me with you."

Ryouta's stupid, sluggish brain gets caught up on 'take me' and summons up images he did not ask for and does not need. Even if they're pretty hot.

...He files them away for later.

"Why? Do you miss me when I'm not here?" He teases and is rewarded with Haizaki's pretty flushed skin.

Haizaki bristles, hands falling to ball into fists at his sides. "Fuck no! But if I have to stay in this goddamned tiny ass apartment for another fucking second, I'm gonna burn it the fuck down!" Ryouta opens his mouth to make a dumb joke ('Cause you're so hot?'), but Haizaki quickly snarls, "Don't fuckin' test me, bitch."

He laughs but holds up his hands defensively to ward off his roommate's ire. "I don't mind if you come with me! It's just, well, I have a few concerns..." He trails off as he glances pointedly at the very obvious fluffy, cat ears twitching in annoyance.

"No," Haizaki denies, flatly.

Ryouta smiles. "You can't go out like that. People will think you've got a cat kink or something."

Haizaki's nose scrunches up in his disgust. (Cute!) "The fuck. Is that a thing? Never mind. I don't wanna know." He clicks his tongue but grudgingly says, "I guess I can tuck my tail in my pants. And maybe wear a hat or somethin'."

"You can't just magic up a disguise?" Ryouta asks, a little disappointed at the mundane solution.

"The fuck do you think my job was? I didn't need a disguise. And my grades in school in anything other than offensive magic were shit. The intricate shit like that was for like spies or researchers or whatever," he explains, somewhat impatiently.

Ryouta lights up. "There are demon spies?!"

Haizaki just sighs and stalks off to get dressed. When Ryouta catches himself staring, he slaps his cheeks and tells himself to get it together. He's a grown man! Not a love-struck teenager! He shouldn't be pining like this!

When Haizaki comes back, he's wearing one of Ryouta's black, wool winter caps, a dark grey hoodie, and jeans - which might as well be skinny jeans with how they cling to his legs.

Disgruntled, Haizaki reveals, "Your damn pants are too fuckin' tight to hide my tail, so I just shoved it under the jacket." He turns to show Ryouta his back, adding, "You can't tell, right?"

"Nope!" Ryouta confirms. With his extra appendages covered, Haizaki actually looks human. Like a very cute, grumpy human. "Let's get going."

Ten minutes later sees them walking to the station.

Haizaki keeps fidgeting, hand reaching up to tug on his cap and clearly itching to take it off. He doesn't complain, though.

"Uncomfortable?" Ryouta asks, knowingly.

"S'weird. Makes me feel restrained," he admits, moving to tug on his hat again before apparently realizing and abruptly dropping his hand. "I don't like it, but it's better than bein' cooped up in than damn hell hole."

Ryouta laughs. "It's not that bad!"

"You weren't stuck there for three damn days. I can only watch so much TV before I fucking explode."

"You didn't have to just watch TV," Ryouta tells him, amused. "I've got a whole shelf full of books, and-"

Shougo snorts, loudly. "If I wanted to read, I'd just go through our contract again, and I'm fucking sick of reading that thing." He gives Ryouta an accusing look as he says, "And if you were about to suggest those board games in your closet, don't bother. Only a fucking loser plays those by himself."

He laughs again, swiping his pass before walking through the gates. Haizaki mimics him (where on Earth did he get a train pass?), following along dutifully. "Sorry, sorry. I left all my consoles and games at home when I moved. I'm sure they're still in my old room, though. Mom's left it the way I had it." He glances over at Haizaki with a grin. "Want me to get 'em?"

He rolls his eyes. "No. I refuse to be stuck there again any time soon. You won't tempt me with your games, human."

"Call me 'Ryouta' in public!" He suggests, cheerfully, when the business man next to them shoots Haizaki a weird look before putting distance between them. "And I'll call you Shougocchi."

Haizaki flushes, scowling, and Ryouta can almost see his ears trying to convey their annoyance within the black wool. "How 'bout I call you 'Asshole,' instead?" He sneers.

"Is that 'cause you want to put your dick in me?" Ryouta asks, curiously, and then he dodges the resulting swipe with a laugh.

"I'll kill you!" Haizaki promises, and Ryouta sweats.

"Isn't that like the number one thing you're not supposed to do to me?" Ryouta reminds him, stepping out of reach. "You know, according to the contract?!"

Haizaki snarls, "I'll find a way around it."

"I admire your dedication, but can you please not be so terrifying?" Ryouta demands.

"Ugh, whatever," Haizaki huffs, shoving his hands inside the huge pocket of his hoodie. "You're fucking impossible."

Feeling safe enough to move closer, Ryouta says, "I've been told I'm annoying but endearing."

"Sounds about right," Haizaki agrees, and Ryouta blinks at him, surprised. Haizaki seems to realize what he said because he goes red and adds, vehemently, "Not that you're endearing to me- I just- You sort of grow on people, okay?! Like, you're annoying as fuck, but not, like, _always_ -" He cuts himself off when Ryouta laughs.

"I like you too, Haizakicchi," Ryouta tells him, smiling and unable to stop.

He grimaces but doesn't deny the implication. The train pulls up then, and Ryouta grabs Haizaki's wrist and leads him onto it through the crowd.

He lets go only to throw his arms over Haizaki's shoulders and pull him close. "Let's not get separated," he says, and Haizaki grunts and allows Ryouta to hold him without complaint.

Ryouta grins and wonders if Haizaki with his advanced senses can hear just how fast his heart is beating. Wonders what his face looks like if he can.

He huffs a laugh and props his chin on Haizaki's shoulder.

-o-

"What's the problem?" Haizaki asks, not quite grumpy but not exactly amiable either. His normal demeanor, if you will. "No one's gonna say anything, and if they do..." He trails off, not needing to add the gruesome things he would do to the poor fool who'd dare question him.

Ryouta shakes his head, unable to stifle his smile even in the face of this... whatever this is, with Haizaki. His friends had often been bewildered and occasionally irritated at his cheerfulness in any given situation off the court, and that hasn't changed even when adding demons and mirror dimensions into the mix. "The problem is that you jumped from a three story building - and in front of another student, no less. What were you even doing up there?"

Haizaki scoffs, despite clearly being a little embarrassed. "S'not like I meant to. Obviously, if I'd seen 'im before I jumped, I wouldn't have done it. Fucker was high as a kite anyway," he adds, dismissively. "I couldn't exactly hang around the campus all day, and besides, people kept tryin' talk to me. It was annoying."

"Oh?" Ryouta cocks a brow, curious. "What did they want?"

He shrugs, nose crinkling in his annoyance. "Dunno. It was a buncha random people asking me what classes I was in and where I was going 'after this' and if I wanted to go with them somewhere." He clicks his tongue, looking for all the world like such questions and interactions were the worst things to ever happen to him. "S'fucking annoying. Like I'd bother with such nosy shits in the first place."

 _Oh._

Ignoring the sudden flare of... something in his chest, Ryouta paints on a smile (not hard to do once he looks at Haizaki again and is reminded of how adorable the demon is no matter his expression) and asks, carefully nonchalant, "Did they make any comments about your appearance? Give you a nickname, perhaps?"

Visibly growing even more angry, Haizaki grunts in affirmation. "Fuckers had the fucking audacity to call me shit like 'cute' and 'pretty boy,'" he growls, enraged. "I'm intimidating. I'm _powerful._ I strike fear into the hearts of my enemies. There is absolutely no fucking reason a puny ass human should find me anything but fucking terrifying." He scoffs, derisively, "I know humans have fuck all in the way of self preservation instincts, but still, that's fucking pathetic."

A prime example of such a human, Ryouta can only compare Haizaki to a grumpy cat with particularly sharp claws, and the image is super adorable and amusing. What's not amusing is the irritation he feels at just the thought of anyone but him flirting with Haizaki or taking any of his attention away from Ryouta, and that's... worrying.

Ryouta has come to accept his darker traits and doesn't really care what others might think of him should they surface. It's all him, after all, and he's never been hung up on his own image, despite what his job as a model might imply. His tendency to grow possessive of the people he cares about is nothing new, but still, it likely doesn't bode well when the person he's feeling possessive of is quite literally already bound to him, possibly permanently.

He does his best to shove those instincts aside and offers, "Sorry. If you want, I can make it up to you?"

Haizaki tugs his cap down a little and shoots him a considering glance. "Yeah?"

"We can buy you some clothes that actually fit you. Not that I don't like the view," he says with a wink, grinning when Haizaki rolls his eyes disgustedly.

"Fine," he agrees. "I'm sick of all your tight ass clothes."

"Okay!" Ryouta cheers, snatching Haizaki's closest hand and intertwining their fingers. "It's a date!"

"It fucking is not!" Haizaki huffs, half-heartedly trying to free himself. "You're such a fucking-"

"Dashing, charming human being?" Ryouta cuts in with a laugh. "Why, thank you."

That gets him another disgusted huff, and he laughs again, delighted when Haizaki gives up on trying to reclaim his hand.

-o-

"I know I was the one who suggested it," Ryouta says, as he follows Haizaki around the first store they happened to try, "but do you have to get new clothes?"

Haizaki gives him a look that clearly questions his intelligence. "Yeah? None of yours fit me right. Besides, I'm tired of smelling like you. It's sickening."

"Right, sure," he agrees, not really listening. "But honestly, I really like you in my clothes. It's like you're telling the whole world that you're mine," he explains, mostly teasing.

As expected, though, Haizaki does not take it well. He can almost see smoke coming off Haizaki's skin he grows red so quickly.

"Fuck that!" He snarls, gripping the bottom of his hoodie and yanking it up, revealing his unfairly toned abs and chest as he tries to undress.

Ryouta hastily grabs the hoodie and pulls it down, whispering insistently, "We're in the middle of the store! What are you doing?!"

Haizaki growls from within his cloth cocoon, "Like hell I'm yours! I'll walk around fucking naked if I have to! Get this shit off!"

Using every last bit of his willpower to lock down his way too vivid and kinky imagination, Ryouta almost-shouts, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was just a joke!"

"Fucking-!"

"I was kidding! No one thinks that! Promise! I promise!"

It takes another minute, but eventually, Haizaki calms down and allows Ryouta to drag his shirt back down. Both of their faces are red, and neither can quite look the other in the eye.

"...Let's just pay for these and go, okay?" Ryouta suggests, regaining his composure, determined to not think about the amount of skin he just witnessed or the various times his arms brushed against rippling muscles.

"...Fine," Haizaki says, snatching up the few clothes he'd dropped and stalking off to an open register.

Ryouta lets out a breath, combs his hair back into place, and then follows after the demon, shooting disarming smiles to the bewildered onlookers as he passes by them.

"Wait for me, Haizakicchi~!" Ryouta calls out in a sing-songy voice, laughing when a sound not unlike a cat hissing greets him in return.

"Fuck off!"

* * *

 **End Notes: Thanks to you guys I've got somewhat of a plot now. (...Not that you can tell so far.) Speaking of!**

 **Thank you to: Fye, who suggested they go shopping for clothes and SakuraLuck, who asked for Kise POV and asked about differences between demon and human societies (we'll get more into that next chapter, as well as the rest of your review!) And everyone else who suggested ideas! I'll add as many as I can to this ridiculous fic lmao  
**


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